1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for reducing the amount of acrylamide in thermally processed foods. This invention permits the production of foods having significantly reduced levels of acrylamide. The method relies on interfering with an acrylamide formation pathway that begins with the amino acid asparagine.
2. Description of Related Art
The chemical acrylamide has long been used in its polymer form in industrial applications for water treatment, enhanced oil recovery, papermaking, flocculants, thickeners, ore processing and permanent-press fabrics. In very recent times, a wide variety of foods have tested positive for the presence of acrylamide monomer. Acrylamide has especially been found in carbohydrate food products that have been processed at high temperatures. Examples of foods that have tested positive for acrylamide include coffee, cereals, cookies, potato chips, crackers, french-fried potatoes, breads and rolls, and fried breaded meats. Since acrylamide in foods is a recently discovered phenomenon, its mechanism of formation has not been confirmed. But, since the acrylamide monomer is not desired in food products, it would be useful to have a method for its significant reduction or elimination in thermally processed foods.